Weedless artificial bait



Feb. l2, 1929.

C. E. STOLL WIEEDLEs's ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed Sept. 2, 192'? III CHA/@L56 5704.1., .5y

Patented Feb. l2, 1929.

UNITED STATES oHAnLEs n. s'roLL, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

`wnnnLIiss ARTIFICIAL BIT.

Application filed. September 2, 1927.` Serial No. 217,084.

This invention relates to fishing hooks of the weedless trolling and casting type in which the barbed hook member is housed within thehollow of an artificial bait body and is adapted to be released from an engaged condition therein as the fish closes its jaws uponthe bait, and so that the barbed portion may engage in the mouth of the fish. The present improvement has for its objects To provide a structural formation and combination of parts, wherein a barbed hook is pivoted in the interiorof an artificial bait or lure, with a resilient tendency to move out ofthe same into an unmaslred condition, but

which is normally held in a masked condition by latching means which in turn is adapted to be moved. to a release as the jaws of a fish close upon the artificial bait or lure.

To provide a simple and effective construction of latching spring and accessories whereby an effective holding engagement is had with the shank portion of a barbed fish hook and wherein the 'operation of the spring to a release is attained, regardless of whether the fish bites the forward, middle or rearward portion of the bait or lure, all as will hereinafter more fully appear.

In the accompanying drawing liigu 1, is a central longitudinal section of an artificial bait or lure, embodying the preferred form of the invention.

f Fig., 2, is a horizontal section on line 2-2 Fig. 3, is a. transversersection'on line 3-3 Fie. 1,

ig. et, is ay similar section on line H Fie.. 1; l

iilre reference numerals indicate like parts in the di'erent views,

manner permitting ofthe portions moving to and from each other,,while held from either longitudinal or lateral movement. The pre ferred manner of effecting such attachment is as follows:

The main bait portion 1, is formed with a" hooded part 3, near its forward end, and'at;

l its rearward end with an end wall or flange 4,-, ,provided with an elongated slot 5. Come In this invention the artificialbait or lure I is of a hollow shape lhaving anyusual or or plelnentary to such construction the suppleinentary bait portion 2, hasa curved form at its forward end adapted for engagement in- .side the hooded part 3 of the portion 1 aforesaid, sothat the movement of the forward end of the portion 2, away from the main portion is confined to the proper limit. At its rear end the supplementary portion 2 is formed with depending side ears or flanges 6 adapted to straddle the rear wall or iiange 4 of the main bait port-ion 1, with said ears or flanges 6 carrying a cross pin 7 having limited `movement in theslot V5 of the wall or fiange 4, and thus limit the amount of independent movement between the portions 1 and 2 at the rear endof the same` The barbed fish hook 8 of the present construction is pivoted at one end by a cross pin or shaft 9L within they main portion 1 and near the forward end of the same, and with a normal tendency of the fish hook to move out of the interior of the bait or lure and through a longitudinal passage formed therefor in the portions 1 and 2 of the bait, with such tendency attained by a spring 10 operatively connected to the hook 8 and carrying shaft 9, as shown. ,l ,y

A spring 11 of an arcuate shape hasintermediate association withthe fish hook 8 and body portions 1 and 2 of the bait or lure, and in the construction shown vthe forward end of the spring 11 has pivotal bearing in a saddle piece 12 in the forward portion of the main bait portion 1, while the rearward end of said spring has sliding bearing upon the inner-'surface of ,saidl` bait portion 1, under the influence of an inward stress upon the crown or middle portion of the springwith such stress set up by a bearinglug 13,011 the supplemental bait portion 2, as said portion is moved towards the main portion 1 lin aclosing movement of they jaws of a fish upon the bait or lure, with a resulting compression andelongation of the spring 11 rearwardly and inthe direction of its length.

In the present structure the arcuate spring 11 is .preferably formed of a lengt-hof spring ,wire bent upon itselfftov provide ya pair of counterpart members 11 in parallel relation, with the forwardly arranged and transverse connect-ing member of saidpair of members 11 adapted for pivotal engagement in theV saddlefpiece 12, aforesaid. The rear and unconnected ends ofthe pair of members 11 are formed with Vshaped humps 14` in opposed relation and with the spices of said ,unipa adapted to be heldin contact by the normal resiliency of the members 11.

lilith the above described construction of parts, on the barbed rearward portion of the fish hook S being pressed by hand into-the interior of' the body of the bait or lure, the adjacent shank portion of the hook will act against the V shaped humps la to force the same apart and Vwith a further inward movement of such shank portion of the fish hook, the humps 14- will return into contact with each other and above such shank portion of the fish hook and maintain the same in its retracted or masked condition, as illustrated in full lines inlfig. 1.

The parallel members 11 to the rear of the humps 1eC are inclined outwardly and have bearing on the opposite faces of a triangular lug 15 fixed in the interior of the main portion 1 of the bait or lure, so that in a longitudinal and rearward extension of the arcuate spring 11 as above described, the spring members 11 and the humps 1a will be moved apart to release the holding engagement of the humps 14 on the shank of the fish hook 8,

to permit the barbed portion thereof to move out of the cavity of the bait or lure into its unmasked position illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in the drawings the bearing lug 13, is arranged transversely with its central portion removed to provide a portion of the heretofore described passagewayv for the fish hook 8, and each of the side portions of the lug then formed is out away to form receiving and positioning recesses for the pair of members `11 of the arcuate spring 11, aforesaid.

At its rear end the body of the bait or lure will usually be provided with a flexible tail 16 or other ordinary appendage, and at its forward end will have an attaching eye 17 for the fishing line or cord.

The operation of the appliance is as follows:

lVith the parts in the set position shown in Fig. 1, the pivoted fish hook 8, is held in a masked position in the interior of the hollow body of the bait by a holding engagement of the humps 14, of the members 11 of the arcuate spring 11, with the shank portion of said fish hook. Such relation prevails in the passage of the bait through the wateras a lure for a sh, and as a lured fish closes its jaws upon the bait body, the longitudinal portions 1 and 2, thereof are moved together with results as follows: rEhe lug 13, in such" movement imparts a straightening movement to the arcuate spring 11, to effect a corresponding rearward movement of the rear and free end of such spring, and in such rearward' movement of the ends rof the spring, such rear ends will ride upon the triangular lug 15, to cause a separation of the humps 14, andvr a release of the holding engagement of the of the aforesaid portions and having movement through a passage in the other of said portions, a spring acting to move said hook outwardly, an arcuate spring member having pivotal support at one end and sliding support at the other end within one of said body portions, a lug on the other one of said body portions having bearing upon said arcuate spring at its mid-length, the arcuate spring having a spaced formation at its sliding end and formed with opposed humps for enga-ging and holding the shank of the fish hook aforesaid, and a fixed triangular lug arranged in j the path of the spaced formation of the arcuatespring so as to effect a separation of the aforesaid humps and a release of the fish hook iny a straightening movement of the arcuate spring. f

2. In an artificial bait, the combination of a hollow body comprising two longitudinal portions vconnected together to have limited movement toand from each other by an interengaging hooded formation of the portions at one end and a pin andelongated slot formation at the other end, a fish hook pivoted within the forward end of one of said portions and having movement through a passage in the othe'i` of' said portions, a spring acting to move said hook outwardly, an arcuate spring member having pivotal support at one end and sliding support at the other end withinl one of said body portions, a lug on the other one of said body portions having bearing upon said'arcuate spring at its midlength, the arcuate spring having a spaced formation at its sliding end and formed with opposed humps for engaging and holding the shank of the fish hook aforesaid, and a fixed triangular lug arranged" in the path of the spaced formation of the arcuate spring so as to effect a separating of the aforesaid humps, and a release of the fish hook in a straightening movement of the arcuate spring.

3. AIn an artificial bait, the combination of a hollow body comprising two longitudinal portions connected together to have limited movement to and from each other, a sh hook pivoted within the forward end of one of said portions and having movement through a passage in the otherof said portions, a spring actingto move said hook outwardly, an arcuate spring member consisting of a pair of parallel members having pivotal support at vbeing formed with opposed humps near their sliding ends for engaging and holding the shank portion of the aforesaid iish hook, and a fixed triangular lug arranged in the path of the sliding ends ot' said parallel members to eli'ect a separation of the aforesaid humps and a release of the fish hook in a straightening movement of the arcuate spring.

4. In an artilicial bait, the combination of a `hollow body comprising two longitudinal portions connected together to have limited movement to and from each other, a iish hook pivoted within the forward end of one of said portions and having movement through a passage in the other of said portions, a

spring acting to move said hook outwardly,

an arcuate spring member consisting of a pair of parallel members having pivotal support at one end and a sliding supportat the other end Within one of said body portions, a lug on the other one of'said body portions,

formed With channels to receive and provide bearings for the midlength portion of the,

parallel members of the arcuate spring, said parallel members being formed with opposed humps near their sliding ends for engaging and holding the shank portion of the aforesaid fish hook, and a fixed triangular luglarranged in the path of the sliding ends of said parallel members to eifecta separation of the aforesaid humps and a release of the fish hook ina straightening movement of the arcuate spring. 1

Inytestimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature.

CHARLES E. STOLL. 

